Gun-carriage.



J. LUND.

GUN CARRIAGE.

APPLICATION man APR. 8. 191e.

Paltenfedgpr. 1,1919.

I. LUND.

GUN CARRIAGE.

APPLICATION msn APR.8.1915.

Y Legsea.

Pimm-ed Apr. 1, w19,

Mer?? f/,

All L l TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN LUND, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BETHLEHEM STEELCOMPANY, 0F SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN-SYLVANIA,

GUN-CARRIAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 8, 1916. Serial No. 89,903.

To all 'whom t may concern: n

Be it known that I, JOHN LUND, a citizen of the United States, andresiding at Bethlehem, county of Northampton, State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grun-Carriages, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to eld gun carriages and particularly to the typeof such carriages in-which a pair of relatively movable trail membersare used to afford lateral stability to the carriage. The object of theinvention is to simplify the construction and connections of the trailmembers and render them more eflicient in withstanding the strains towhich they are subjected. The invention will be described in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a gun carriage embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an incomplete sectional view on the line 2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 of Fig, 1; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates the axle on which the wheels 11rotate. Depending from the axle is a rectangular tongue or hanger 12 inwhich is pivotally mounted a guide frame or beam 13.l The tongue extendsthrough rectangular openings 14, 15, in the beam and the beam ispivotally connected to it by the pin 16. The openings 14, 15, are largeenough to permit lthe beam or guide 13 to have a limited rockingmovement, as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 4. The beam 13has a forward extension 17 to the forward end of which two trail members18, 18, are pivotally connected. As shown, the forward ends of the trailmembers are sharply curved inward at 19 and hinged together andpivotally connected to the part 17 by means of a pin Q0. These trailmembers extend through a rectangular opening in the beam 13 and are freeto slide therein laterally to bring the rear ends of the trail memberstogether, as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2 or to spreadthem, as shown in full lines in said figures, for the purpose of givingthe carriage lateral support when in operative position, especially whenfiring at an acute angle with the line of the axle.

In the drawings I have shown a base 21 pivotally mounted on the axle 10and suitable -to receive the top-carriage of the gun. The base 21 isadjustably supported on and connected to the bracket 17 by means of ascrew 22 which is threaded through a rotating block 23 mounted intrunnions in the forward end of the bracket 17 and in axial alinementwith the pivot pin 16. This screw, as shown, may be connected with thecourse may turn in the wheels to permit the hanger 12 to accommodateitself to the position assumed by the trail members regardless of theinequalities of the ground. On account of the freedom of the beam 13 toswing and turn, the rear ends of the trail members are free to adaptthemselves to any surface conditions and always free to plant themselvesfirmly in the ground.

When firing a gun mounted on the above described gun carriage thedownward stresses due to recoil are transmitted directly to the axle andthe wheels, while the upward stresses due to recoil are transmittedthrough the screw 22, described above, and to the forward end of thetrail members 1,8. Due to the peculiar connection of the beam 13, eachtrail member will take an equal amount of the stresses, no matter whatthe position of the rear ends of these members relative to4 each otheror relative to the lower elements of the wheels may be.

Having described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In a gun carriage, the combination with the axle, of two trailmembers extending forward of the axle and having their forward endspivotally connected together, the pivotal axis being vertical,permitting the members to swing relatively in a substantially horizontaldirection.

2. In a gun carriage, the combination with the axle, of two trailmembers extending forward of the axle and having their forward endspivotally connected together, and a guide beam pivotally connected tothe axle and through which said trail members ass.

p 3. In a gun carriage, the combination with the axle having a dependingtongue, of a guide-frame -orbeam pivotally connected tosaid tongue andlying beneath the axle,

' trail members extending through said guide frame or'beam onv oppositesides of said tongue, said trail members having their forwardends'hinged together in rontofthe axle. v

4; VIn a guncarriage, the combination with -the'axlehavingfadependingtongue, of a guide frame or beam pivotally connectedto-said tongue and lying beneath'the axle,

y' trail members extending through; said guideframe-or-fbeam-onzopposite sidesl of. said tongue,saidtrail membershaving their for- Vward/ends pivotallyjconnected with a for,-I e .wardextensionfof:said guide1beam..

Ina .gun carriage, the combination with i `the;axle* haVinga-dependingtongue, o'ffa guide frameor beam pivotally connectedA tol saidgtongueand lying beneath the; axle, trail members ,extendingy through said`guide rameor -beamv-on oppositefsideswof said tongue, saidtrailffmembers having "theirV 'for- K ward-fende inwardly curvedv andpivotally '.qgpiesfomma patent ,may be obtained "pivotally- .connectedwith the axle and through which said trail members pass, a

bracket connected with said beam, a =gun` platform l pivotally connectedfwith the axle and means for djustably supporting Said platfo-rmvfromSiaidfbracket.l l

, ,7:7 ,gun Ac,arriage,fthe; combination with lthe! axle, off4 a fiiide`frame or,` beamg pivotal-ly suspended, from the v axle -andyhaving avforward'c extension, trail membersfextending through said; guide frameand PiVO'tally oon-y Atension fin; front et the. axlefa; gun;r platformorobse lpivotallyf mounted :on the if axle-l` and means; ffor"v-verteally adjustngthe samerelatively tothe trailfmembers. t g Intestimony gwherfeofg Ifafix fmy, signature.

, e .fJOHNLUND..

asV

' nectedftoseallfother vand .to saidforward exi

